Five dead in Egypt as police clash with Islamists

Cairo: Five people, including a female Egyptian journalist, have been killed in Cairo during clashes between police and Islamists protesting against ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's presidency bid, the Interior Ministry says.

The violence erupted in a deeply polarised Egypt as supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi took to the streets of Cairo, Alexandria and other cities on Friday to vent their anger at Mr Sisi, who overthrew the Islamist leader nine months ago.

Journalist Mayada Ashraf was shot in the head while covering clashes in the northern neighbourhood of Ain Shams, a security official said.

Four more people were killed in the same violence and 11 others were wounded by birdshot and live ammunition, the Interior Ministry said. It said 79 Morsi supporters were arrested nationwide in possession of Molotov cocktails and fireworks.

Mr Sisi, who was also defence minister and deputy prime minister, announced his resignation on Wednesday to enable him to stand in the election.

His candidacy is likely to further inflame Islamist protesters and worry secular activists, who fear a return to rule by the military and strong-arm tactics.

Advertisement

In her last report, published on the website Al-Dustour, Ashraf said the clashes were pitting Morsi supporters against civilian opponents, adding that the two sides traded fire with live ammunition and birdshot.

It was unclear when her report was filed during the clashes. A colleague who was with her said they split up as police clashed with protesters.

''I later called her telephone to check up on her but a protester answered and said she had died with a bullet to the head,'' Mohamed Rabie said.

The Interior Ministry blamed the killings on Morsi supporters, saying armed protesters opened fire at random. One victim, another woman, was stabbed to death, the ministry spokesman said.

But protester Galal Ali said it was police who fired at the crowd as demonstrators were about to disperse.

Violence rocked other parts of Cairo. Al-Azhar Islamic university students hurled Molotov cocktails and stones at riot police, who fired tear gas to disperse them in the Madinat Nasr area of eastern Cairo, security officials said.